"The organizing principle for this anthology is the common Native American heritage of its authors; and yet that thread proves to be the most tenuous of all, as the experience of indigeneity differs radically for each of them. While many experience a centripetal pull toward a cohesive Indian experience, the indications throughout these essays lean toward a richer, more illustrative panorama of difference. What tends to bind them together are not cultural practices or spiritual attitudes per se, but rather circumstances that have no exclusive province in Indian country: that is, first and foremost, poverty, and its attendant symptoms of violence, substance abuse, and both physical and mental illness. . . . Education plays a critical role in such lives: many of the authors recall adoring school as young people, as it constituted a place of escape and a rare opportunity to thrive. . . . While many of the writers do return to their tribal communities after graduation, ideas about 'home' become more malleable and complicated."—from the Introduction

I Am Where I Come From presents the autobiographies of thirteen Native American undergraduates and graduates of Dartmouth College, ten of them current and recent students. Twenty years ago, Cornell University Press published First Person, First Peoples: Native American College Graduates Tell Their Life Stories, also about the experiences of Native American students at Dartmouth College. I Am Where I Come From addresses similar themes and experiences, but it is very much a new book for a new generation of college students.

Three of the essays from the earlier book are gathered into a section titled “Continuing Education,” each followed by a shorter reflection from the author on his or her experience since writing the original essay. All three have changed jobs multiple times, returned to school for advanced degrees, started and increased their families, and, along the way, continuously revised and refined what it means to be Indian.

The autobiographies contained in I Am Where I Come From explore issues of native identity, adjustment to the college environment, cultural and familial influences, and academic and career aspirations. The memoirs are notable for their eloquence and bravery.

Introduction by Melanie Benson Taylor

Part I. Broken: Racial Mixture and Cultural Hybridity

1. Seeking to Be Whole, Shannon Prince

2. Bringing Back a Piece of the Sky, Blythe George

3. Chahta hattak sia, "I am a Choctaw Man," Preston Wells

Part II. An Indian Education: Leaving and Finding Home at Dartmouth College

4. Nihalgai Bahane': A Fourth World Story, Jerry Watchman

5. Bracelets Upon My Soul, Ma’Ko’Quah Jones

6. My Journey to Healing, Kalina Newmark

Part III. Full Circle: Returning and Remaking Home

7. Little Woman from Lame Deer, Cinnamon Spear

8. Village Girl, AlexAnna Salmon

9. Future Ancestor, Hillary Abe

10. An Unpredictable Journey, John Around Him

Part IV. Continuing Education: NADs Reflect on their Journeys

11. I Walk in Beauty Davina, Ruth Begaye Two Bears

Followup: Shí Asdzᾴᾴ Baa Davina, Ruth Begaye Two Bears

12. The Good Ol’ Days When Times Were Bad, Bruce Duthu

Followup: Living Life in a Posture of Humility, Bruce Duthu

13. Why Didn’t You Teach Me?, Bob Bennett

Followup: To Be an Indian is a Rough Life, Bob Bennett

I Am Where I Come From

"The essays in I Am Where I Come From have much of the same compelling writing and narrative as its wonderful and insightful predecessor, First Person, First Peoples. The depth and breadth of the experiences these writers bring to their essays about what being a Native student at Dartmouth has been for them is not just updated, but beautifully and inclusively reflective of the lives of Native young adults. Stark discussions of sexuality, domestic violence, sexual abuse, and

poverty make this volume important and vital. There are incredibly vivid moments throughout, and the intelligence and thoughtfulness of the writers is at many points very moving."—Robert Warrior, Hall Distinguished Professor of American Literature and Culture, The University of Kansas, coauthor of Like a Hurricane: The Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee

I Am Where I Come From

"The themes covered in I Am Where I Come From are compelling. Native American students can find affirmation in the essays; non-Natives can read them for comparative purposes, noting similarities and differences between sets of experiences vis-à-vis 'going off to college and preparing for what's next in life.’"—Jim Charles, University of South Carolina Upstate, author of Reading, Learning, and Teaching N. Scott Momaday

I Am Where I Come From

"I came away from this book with a greater appreciation and respect for the complex nature of being a Native American in today's world; it is not easy, and life is often filled with difficulties, challenges, racism, and trauma as a result of colonization. Yet, the authors were able to persevere and find rewarding and successful experiences based on who they are as Native Americans. The stories are a must-read for those who seek a greater understanding of student life before, during, and after the college experience."—John W. Tippeconnic III, Arizona State University, coauthor of Voices of Resistance and Renewal: Indigenous Leadership in Education

Title I Am Where I Come From

Subtitle Native American College Students and Graduates Tell Their Life Stories